Car-coupling



H.` T. BEAM. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 317,284. q Patented May 5, 1885.

7 NITED STATES PATENT Ori-IceO HENRY T. BEAM, OF PALESTINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VILLIAM C. JONES, OF ROBINSON, ILLINOIS.

`CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,284, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed January 20, 1585. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, HENRY T. BEAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palestine, in the county of Crawford and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a specifica-tion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relatesto car-couplings, and it consists in certain improvements in the construction ofthe same, as hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Like letters represent like parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of a draw-head constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2'is a top view of the same, partly broken away at the forward end. Fig. 3 is a top view of a draw-head, showing a modification of the coupling-pin link. Fig. 4 is a modification of the head of the pin represented in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coupling-pin shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a modification of Fig: 5. Fig. 7 is a section of the same, and Fig. S is a perspective view of the springy pin-holding device.

In the drawings, A represents the drawhead. It is provided with a vertical slot, A, in the upper part thereof, for the insertion of a coupling-pin, B. The front side of this slot is perpendicular, or nearly so, forming two solid shoulders, Al A, for the pin to rest against. The rear side presents a concave segmental curve that extends upward until' it meets an inclined shelf, A4, that keeps the pin from accidentally coming out of the draw-head when said pinis swung back. The roof of the opening in the draw-head is sloping inwardly from the front face to the rear of the pin B. It then extends horizontally for a short distance until it meets the upper end of a semicircular curve that forms the rear end of the cavity, and then returns upward on an incline until it passes the pin B, then descends to the front face of the draw-head. The hole or opening G, in the bottom of the draw-head, allows'any ordi- 4nary coupling-pin to be used in case of an aceident.

The draw-head is provided `in the forward upper portion thereof with an inclined recess,

C, to receive the forward end of the arm B ofthe pin B. This arm extends downward into the recess C, and is pivoted to the draw-head, close to its mouth, by means of a rod, D, passing through the perforation b in the end of said arm. This rod D extends the entire width of the draw-head and passes through a pipe, D', embedded inthe front portion thereof, close to the roof of the cavity in the draw-head. The pipe D' extends the width of the drawhead, and is eut transversely across in the middle thereof, to receive the end of the forward'arm, B', and has at that point an overhanging shelf, d, that also acts as a lock when the end of the arm B is forkedat b', as represented in Fig. 4, and straddles the rod D.

The head-piece of the pin B has a rear arm, B2, provided with a loop to receive alink of a chain, b, whereby the coupling-pin may be lifted from the platform of a car. The headpiece has also a vertical slot, B,.extending therethrough, to receive the tenon Bi, formed at the upper end of the piu B. This slot B has its upper forward and lower rearward sides parallel with the sides ofthe pin, while the bottom halfforward and the upper rearward sides are beveled, or form an acute angle with the sides of said tenen, thus allowing the lower end of the pin to swing forward of a perpendicular position, but not backward, on its pivot b, which extends therethrough. The pin can be lifted by means of a rod, E, held in bearings E', formed as a part of the drawhead, or bolted to the upper portion thereof. This rod has lat its middle a linger, e, which extends rearward from the rod, and imme` diately under the forward arm, B', of the headpiece of the pin B, and at its ends it is provided with handles E", for turning the same.` The shoulders or perpendicular sides of the slots Bi" in the head-piece prevent the pin from swinging backward, but when raised it may swing 'forward against the front wall of the slot, as in Fig. l, andin Fig. 7 the pin has a beveled groove to allow it to swing forward against the under side of the arm B', but is prevented from swinging backward by means of the horizontal shoulder B5 at the upper end of said beveled groove.

In Fig. 3 the pin is held in position by the rearwardly-extending end of the coiled spring F, having its opposite end attached to the upper portion ofthe draw-head either by a screwthread on the short end of the spring or in any well-known way. The long end of the spring is provided'with a loop,f, to be connected to a chain for lifting the same. A loop, f, is also formed thereon to receive a pivotpin, as b, to connect it to the coupling-pin, the upper end of the latter having a slot ora perforation t0 receive the same. The springy link F2 is held firmly attached to the couplingpin to prevent its displacement and facilitate its action.VV

-By permitting the coupling-pin to swing forward while it is lifted from above, but not to Yswing rearward when pushed back by a coupling-link entering the draw-head, the short link in common use may be employed to couple cars having my improvement, as the coupling-pin is obliged to swing on ashort radius. i

As the roof of the cavity within the drawhead is inclined from the mouth to the rear, and the floor has a central elevation or apex, as at A, the link can be retained at any angle desired by inserting it more or less within said cavity.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In combination with a draw-head and Aa cylindrical couplingpin provided with a having shoulders in the upper forward portion and in the lower rearward portion to bear against the edge of said tenon, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A draw-head provided with an opening in the top thereof, in combination with a coupling-pin resting therein, and a yielding springy connection having its rear end pivoted to the pin and its front end pivoted to the draw-head, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A draw-head provided with an opening in the top thereof, and a coupling-pin resting therein, in combination with an arm having its rear end pivoted to the pin and its front end pivoted in a recess of the draw-head between the extremities of two lengths Vof pipe embedded into the body of said draw-head and a bolt passing therethrough, substantially asV p and for the purpose described. Y

4. The combination of a draw-head, an arm, B', pivoted to the forward portion thereof, and having its journal-pin received within a pipe embedded in said draw-head, a transverse rod, E, having a finger, e, pivoted under the arm B', and a coupling-pin pivoted to said arm, and prevented from swinging backward relatively to its pivot-arm by shoulders on said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY T. BEAM. Vitnesses:

E. E. Masson, W. B. MAssoN. 

